The soccer rainbow is a flashy move that amazes the crowd and can double as an offensive tool to push the ball forward. It's a slightly tricky technique that involves using your foot to scoot the ball up your leg, then kicking it with your opposite heel so that it arcs neatly over your head. Read on to learn more about how to do a rainbow.

In a Hurry?

The easiest way to do a rainbow is to start with the soccer ball between your feet. Use your dominant foot to roll the ball up your non-dominant calf. Once the ball reaches your knee, guide the ball off of your leg as you follow through. Land on your dominant foot and kick the ball up behind you with your non-dominant heel. To learn how to do a rainbow in a game-like scenario from our soccer reviewer, keep reading!

Steps

Method1

Practicing the Rainbow While Stationary

Put the soccer ball right between your feet, so that it's centered with the middle of your body.

to Do a Rainbow in Soccer

1

Use your dominant foot to roll the ball up your opposite leg. If you're right handed, press the ball against your left ankle with your right foot. Raise your right foot and roll the ball up the side of your left leg. Do this quickly and with some force.

If you don't roll the ball up quickly and with force, it will drop back to the ground before you have time to complete the move.

to Do a Rainbow in Soccer

2

Follow through with your foot. Once the ball rolls up to knee level, follow through with your foot so that the ball gets some air as it rolls off of your leg. You want the ball to be positioned just over your heel. So if you used your right foot to roll the ball up your left leg, guide the ball off of your leg once it reaches the knee; it should float down just behind your left heel.

to Do a Rainbow in Soccer

3

Land on your dominant foot as you kick the ball with your heel. Now the foot you used to roll the ball should land on the ground. At the same time, use the heel of your other foot to kick the ball upward with your heel. For right-handers, that means your right foot will hit the ground as your left heel kicks the ball, arcing it over your head.

This process must happen very quickly in order to work properly. Practice rolling and kicking over and over until you're able to move your legs fast enough to get it right.

You want to strike the underside of the ball in an upward motion to get it to arc up and over your head. Practice until the ball lands right in front of your body.

Lean forward a bit as you land and kick. This will help the ball move in the right direction.

Method2

Using the Rainbow on the Field

to Do a Rainbow in Soccer

1

Dribble the ball fairly quickly towards a defender. You can use the rainbow to switch the direction of the ball right when a defender is trying to steal it.

to Do a Rainbow in Soccer

2

Place your dominant foot's heel in front of the ball while leaning forward a bit. This is important because if you don't lean forward, the ball will go backwards.

to Do a Rainbow in Soccer

3

Bring your non dominant foot behind the ball. The ball should now be positioned between your feet, ready for the rainbow technique to begin.

to Do a Rainbow in Soccer

4

Use your dominant foot to sweep the ball up the opposite leg. Use a motion that will cause the ball to roll off the leg at the knee and drop down toward the heel.

to Do a Rainbow in Soccer

5

Lean forward and kick the ball up with your heel. Do this as you land on your dominant foot. The ball should arc up and over the defender, and they will likely be confused about where it went, and you can run around the defender and continue moving with the ball.

You are supposed to put power on your heel, which means kicking with your heel as you would normally kick a ball into the goal. Of course, you're going to need to practice before trying it out in a real game.

Tips

This is done while running, so don't stray too far from your natural step. It will just happen. Don't worry too much about where the ball will go. But don't run too fast or it will be difficult to roll the ball up.

If, after a while, the ball just ends up being kicked in the air by the heel and lands behind you, try running at the ball to gain more momentum, but remember to keep the move as one motion. If you can easily get the ball to go over your head, a cool trick is to incorporate that with juggling, or if you run at the ball diagonally, you can sometimes get the ball to go over your shoulder or in a specific direction.

The last step will take a long time to get right, the entire step should be one motion, and with practice, you will naturally do the step with ease.

Try practicing with an air ball.

While running ensure that your weak foot should lift and dominant should kick up.

Try practicing the rainbow with a friend .

If you really can't do it, practice with a balloon.

Practice with a lighter, smaller ball (try size 3) and move up sizes as you begin to master the move.

The harder you hit it with your heel the higher it goes.

Remember that this is a tricky move, and will take weeks to months of practice. Don't just practice doing this one trick, but develop your other skills as well, especially ball control and speed.

Warnings

Don't do this move too many times in one game, because the other players will start to catch on to what you're doing and be able to stop it. You will also look foolish, as rainbows are just for being able to be a good player - they are hardly ever used in games.

Some better defenders will know what you are doing as soon as they see your feet. Make the move quick enough so that they don't beat you to the ball. Jog while doing the trick

As soon as you heel the ball, make sure to keep running so you keep on your feet; sometimes you can stumble and land on your face which isn't all that impressive.

Do not try to do the trick standing still; it is much easier if you run at the ball and try to get it over your head. But if you get good you can stand still and still do it.

"It helped me by giving some tips to do a goal for my final soccer match, and after seeing this rainbow kick, my opponent team was spellbound and amazed. Seriously, it's really helpful, must watch it."..." more

Rated this article:

AA

Aikhoje Alakhume

Mar 20, 2016

"Very good, because that was the only 5-star trick I hadn't mastered. I wanted to give defenders something new. Thanks. "..." more

WS

Wahaj Sardar

Aug 12, 2016

"It is not so difficult as it looks! If you practice hard every day at least one hour, you can learn it fast."

JO

Jeff O.

Oct 19, 2016

"Very descriptive. The pictures help a lot if no one around knows how but it all comes down to repetition."

LJ

Leon Jackson

Jan 28

"I liked it, it was awesome. It will help me in soccer, and using this technique will be wonderful."

A

Anonymous

Aug 20, 2016

"Thank you so much! I love playing soccer, and always wanted to know how to do a rainbow kick!"

NP

Ntwali Preston

Feb 25

"I'm an 11 year old kid, and I will try to use this technique in my next matches."

L

La

Aug 23, 2016

"Excellent. I am a girl and absolutely love soccer. Will practice these tricks. "